Three Mohawk College staff members have been recognized by the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) at its annual conference in Halifax, N.S.

ACCC’s annual Awards of Excellence celebrate extraordinary contributions of individuals to their colleges and highlight the role colleges play in the social, cultural and economic development of the communities they serve.

Vice President Academic Cheryl Jensen received the Silver award for Leadership Excellence. Cheryl was the driving force behind many Mohawk success stories, including the launch of Canada’s first Bachelor of Technology Program in collaboration with McMaster University, the creation of the award-winning Hydro One – College Consortium and the $27 million transformation of Mohawk’s skilled trades campus in Stoney Creek. Cheryl is very active in the community serving on various boards and foundations, and she’s currently working with public, private and non-profit sector partners on a project aimed at promoting postsecondary education to at-risk youth in high-need neighbourhoods.

Alan Griffiths, Mohawk’s sustainable environment specialist, received the Silver Staff Excellence Award. Alan is responsible for Mohawk’s green initiatives, including taking the lead role in the development of the College’s first comprehensive environmental management plan. The plan commits Mohawk to a 20 per cent reduction of 2007 baseline carbon emissions by 2020, and includes strategies achieve reductions in eight target areas. Alan is also very active in the local sustainability movement, representing Mohawk on city-wide initiatives aimed at improving access to alternative transportation and helping businesses reduce their carbon footprint.

Jef Petrossi is a creative advertising professor in Mohawk's Advertising Advanced Diploma program and this year's recipient of the Bronze ACCC Teaching Excellence Award. An award-winning writer that has worked at some of the world's leading advertising agencies, Jef knows what it takes to be successful and works hard to make his students stand out in an extremely competitive industry. Since joining Mohawk four years ago, Jef's students have won numerous awards at prestigious national and international competitions including the CMA's national awards, the Ad and Design Club of Canada's national awards and Applied Arts Magazine advertising awards show. Some of Jef’s former students have gone to work for North America’s best agencies such as BBDO, Taxi2, Saatchi & Saatchi, Proximity, Ogilvy and Lowe Roche.

ACCC is the national organization that represents colleges and institutes at the national and international level. For more information visit www.accc.ca.